TEAL

TEAL inaugurated passenger service to Hawaii

TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd.) was registered in Wellington as a limited liability company in April 1940. Its original holdings were New Zealand Government 20%, Union Airways 19%, BOAC 38% and Qantas 23%.

TEAL started operations with an Auckland-Sydney flying boat service in 1940, Auckland to Fiji in 1950, extending the following year to Tahiti via Western Samoa. Exercising reciprocal rights, Pan American sent its airplanes through Auckland.TEAL was originally owned by three governments: New Zealand (30%), United Kingdom (20%) and Australia (50%).

In 1953, the Australian government took over the British government’s interest, concurrently with the liquidation of BCPA.

In April 1961, the New Zealand government agreed to purchase Australia's half share in TEAL making New Zealand the sole owner of the airline in its 21st year of operation.

TEAL changed its name to Air New Zealand in April 1965.

Jet service between Auckland and Los Angeles by way of Honolulu with DC-8 aircraft began in December 1965. Air NZ opened an office in Honolulu.